Es loses their damn mind

The Osiris of this shit

I feel sort of bad ragging on Es, because it seems like they’re really trying. They figured out pretty quick that they weren’t going to be able to hang on to their Menikmati-era all stars, finally scrapped the ill-fated “YeS” project, put together a fairly interesting team and got busy moving on. Last year’s Especial promo wasn’t bad at all and they’re staying busy on their website, but I can’t help but wonder if they’re fighting a losing battle, because it’s becoming so plainly clear that they’ve lost their way when it comes to, you know, the actual shoes.

Now, in an age where one could start a skate shoe company and bank off rehashing the dunk, Chuck Taylors, half cabs, eras, and on and on, I do give Es a lot of credit for trying something new, over and over again, often with simply bizarre results. From what I can tell, with their new fall lineup, they’re betting big on the technological shoes of the late 90s/early 00s coming back into fashion. Will they be right? You be the judge…

The amazingly ill-conceived Scheme remix makes it back for another season! The total cluelessness of this design is endearing to me, especially as they insist right on the sight that it’s not a throwback. Embrace it, Es!

It seems to me Es has been trying to push this design in various forms for a while now. I can’t be bothered to go back and check of course. Do the euros even go in for the teched-out shoes anymore?

This “TXL” may or may not be a Rodrigo creation. If it were, I’d guess the language barrier might explain some things. I picture TX tilted far back in an office chair, eyes far off and muttering “it’s crazy like,” while a pair of designers scribble furiously and dart frightened, confused looks at one another.

Having milked their thesaurus dry, the Es team muscles in on C1RCA territory with the mysteriously named “FV-1.” Although I guess it could have been designed by Fausto’s ghost? Actually don’t mind the colors on this one but packing in not-one-but-TWO airbags at the height of the vulcan era is a bold move indeed.

Like the half-formed afterbirth of a Vans janitor’s trunk sale. Moving on…

This one, wow. The color combo is almost ridiculous enough to work, almost, but these knockoffs of dearly departed pro models never really work out.

Here we have an example of taking a great idea that hasn’t been blown out yet (black soles on lighter shoes) and screwing it up with the all-over-print panel in the back. I guess your pants might cover it up, but still. My gut tells me that it shouldn’t be this difficult, but what do I know.

This one really isn’t that bad, aside from the laces. Classic Es design and it looks like they threw in one of those SLB/AVE inner-sock things, which deserves to be revived every few years. Some colors other than white/black and gray/black would help, but this is good mostly.

Dude, I am SO bummed on the resurgence of teched out shoes. One of the new magazines even had Cale Nuske skating that second abomination that you have pictured there. Maybe they blackmailed him like “Dude, you haven’t gotten coverage in forever, busted knee be damned. You’re off the team unless you shoot an ad in these shoes.”

So yeah, all those shoes are balls. Except for the SLB throwback at the bottom. I actually like those. But I wish they didn’t add the thing at the back that looks like an air sole. Also, FYI the original SLB had a sock in it too. But a little different than that one.